Swivel hinge for a clip

ABSTRACT

The swivel hinge includes a swivel element with apertures and a base element with a swivel shaft which is journaled for rotation within the apertures. The apertures include radially inwardly extending fingers which position the swivel shaft and are formed as molding gates for molding windows which are provided in common for initially molding the base element and the swivel member as a single integral piece. Subsequent rotation breaks the molding gates and the vestiges form the fingers.

This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No.09/004,432, filed on Jan. 8, 1998, entitled "One-Piece Swivel Clip".

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention pertains to a swivel hinge for a clip including a basemember with an initially integrally molded swivel member. Common moldingwindows are configured in the swivel hinge to provide internal gates tofill both members during the molding process. The internal gates arebroken prior to use to allow the swivel member to rotate with respect tothe base member.

2. Description of the Prior Art

In the prior art, swivel hinges for clips are frequently molded as threeseparate pieces--a base element, a swivel element and a hinge pin--whichare assembled after molding. Similarly, some designs include a straphinge with secondary retention features, such as banana prongs, whichmay result in a larger clip than desired. However, it may be desired toprovide swivel hinges with greater strength and reusability than hasbeen typical with some of the prior art designs. For instance, snap fitdesigns typically require a high insertion force to maintain amarginally acceptable retention force.

Examples of prior art in this field include U.S. Pat. No. 5,494,245 toSuzuki et al. entitled "Wireless Harness Retainer Clip"; U.S. Pat. No.5,184,794 to Saito entitled "Rod Holder"; U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,228 toKennedy entitled "Adjustable Mounting Bracket"; U.S. Pat. No. 4,653,951to Bodle et al. entitled "Zero Free-Play Joint for Deployable SpaceStructures"; U.S. Pat. No. 4,227,864 to Orson, Sr. entitled "SpringOperated Clip"; U.S. Pat. No. 4,192,441 to Batts entitled "ClampConstruction for Article Hangers"; U.S. Pat. No. 2,556,491 to Lorenzoentitled "Clamping Cam Lug for Electrical Connections"; and U.S. Pat.No. 2,445,475 to Durant entitled "Clamp".

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a swivel hingefor a clip which is initially molded as a single piece.

It is therefore a further object of this invention to provide a swivelhinge for a clip with simplified assembly.

It is therefore a still further object of this invention to provide aswivel hinge for a clip with increased strength.

It is therefore a still further object of this invention to provide aswivel hinge for a clip with increased reusability.

It is therefore a still further object of this invention to provide aswivel hinge for a clip which results in a clip of compact design.

It is therefore a final object of this invention to provide a swivelhinge for a clip with low manufacturing and assembly costs.

These and other objects are attained by the present invention byproviding a swivel hinge for a clip wherein the base member and theswivel member are initially integrally molded. During the moldingprocess, common molding windows are configured to provide internal gatesto fill both the base member and the swivel member. After the moldingprocess, the members are rotated to break the internal gates, therebyallowing the swivel action.

The base member typically includes the clip body and the swivel shaft,as well as the components to secure the base member to an externalstructure. The swivel member typically includes the clip lid, the swivelshaft bore and internal gates. Inwardly radially extending fingers,which thicken outwardly, are formed from the vestiges of the moldinggates on the swivel apertures of the swivel element and serve toposition the bore with respect to the swivel shaft on the base element.The swivel member generally cannot be removed from the base memberwithout destroying the clip. Windows are used to form the swivel shaftand its accompany bore. A variety of window, shaft and gateconfigurations are possible. As axial clearance between both members isnecessary for tooling, but undesirable once the clip is closed, rampsare formed on both members to eliminate this axial clearance as the clipcloses. A cam on the swivel member is used to eliminate a similarfront-to-rear tooling clearance, thereby reducing the ultimate loads onthe swivel shaft. Stops are positioned on both member to limit the rangeof rotation of the swivel member with respect to the base member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentfrom the following description and claims, and from the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the swivel hinge of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a rear plan view, partially in phantom, of the swivel hinge ofthe present invention in the closed position.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view, partially in phantom, of the swivel hinge ofthe present invention.

FIG. 4 is plan view, partially in phantom, of the swivel hinge of thepresent invention.

FIG. 5 is a side plan view, partially in phantom, of a clip using theswivel hinge of the present invention, the clip being in an openposition.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now for the drawings in detail, wherein like numerals refer tolike elements throughout the several views, one sees that FIGS. 1-4 arevarious views of swivel hinge assembly 10 of the present invention.Swivel hinge assembly 10 is incorporated into clip 100 as shown in FIG.5. Swivel hinge assembly 10 includes base element 12 and swivel element14 in pivotable relationship to each other subsequent to initialintegral molding and rotation as will be described hereinafter. It isenvisioned that the configuration of the base element 12 and swivelelement 14 may be reversed for some applications.

Base element 12 includes planar side supports 16, 18 which are parallelto each other and separated by interior horizontal support 20 andexterior vertical support 22. As will be explained hereinafter, exteriorvertical support 22 further serves as a reverse rotational stop. Theterms "vertical" and "horizontal" apply to the orientation of swivelhinge assembly 10 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Swivel shaft 24 is formedintegrally upon interior horizontal support 20 and further includes axleends 26, 28 which extend from planar side supports 16, 18, respectively.

Swivel element 14 includes planar swivel bore supports 30, 32 in whichswivel bores 34, 36, respectively, are formed. Axle ends 26, 28 arejournaled for rotation within swivel bores 34, 36, respectively. As canbe seen from the phantom portions of FIGS. 2 and 3, swivel bores 34, 36are conically flared to an enlarged diameter at an exterior of swivelbore supports 30, 32 and include radially inwardly extending fingers 38,40, 42, 44 (see FIG. 4) to engage axle ends 26, 28. Radially inwardlyextending fingers 38, 40, 42, 44 thicken in the outward direction as canbe seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. During the molding process, common moldingwindows are formed at the intersection of radially inwardly extendingfingers 38, 40, 42, 44 and axle ends 26, 28, and the molding gates formradially inwardly extending fingers 38, 40, 42, 44. This initiallyresults in an integral piece. However, the molding gates are broken byrotating swivel element 14 with respect to base element 12 resulting inswivel hinge assembly 10 and clip 100. The resulting radially inwardlyextending fingers 38, 40, 42, 44 keep swivel bores 34, 36 centered onaxle ends 26, 28. The resulting swivel hinge assembly 10 generallycannot be disassembled without destroying swivel hinge assembly 10.

Planar swivel bore supports 30, 32 are separated by planar support 46.The central portion of planar support 46 includes inwardly protrudingreverse rotational stop 48 to limit the range of motion of base element12 with respect to swivel element 14. In other words, when swivelelement 14 is rotated to an open position, inwardly protruding reverserotational stop 48 of swivel element 14 abuts exterior vertical support22.

As shown in FIG. 4, the portion of planar swivel bore support 30radially outward from swivel bore 34 and adjacent to planar support 46is thickened thereby forming camming wall 50 to eliminate fore/afttooling clearance and reducing the ultimate loads on swivel shaft 24.Similarly, as shown on FIG. 3, swivel element axial ramps 52, 54 areformed on the interior of planar swivel bore supports 30, 32,respectively, somewhat adjacent to planar support 46. Swivel elementaxial ramps 52, 54 face base element axial ramps 56, 58 which are formedon planar side supports 16, 18, respectively. This ramp configurationprovides the necessary axial clearance between base member 12 and swivelmember 14 for tooling in a relatively open position of base member 12and swivel member 14, but eliminates this axial clearance in arelatively closed position of base member 12 and swivel member 14.

FIG. 5 illustrates a typical clip 100 which can be formed using swivelhinge assembly 10. However, those skilled in the art will realize thatmany different designs are possible. Planar side supports 16, 18 of baseelement 12 join vertical wall 60 which is integral with tubular engagingportion 62 which is adjacent to tubular engaging portion 64, bothtubular engaging portions 62, 64 having circular sections greater than180° in order to engage a tube or similar device (not shown). Detentaperture 66 is formed adjacent to tubular engaging portion 64 on uppersurface 68. Lower surface 70 includes tree fastener section 72 which isdisclosed in allowed U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/028,889, filedon Feb. 24, 1998, entitled "Tree Fastener with Split Wings", thedisclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. Tree fastenersection 72 is typically used to engage clip 100 to an aperture (notshown) in a fixed structure element (not shown). Front surface 67 ofbase element 12 further includes fin 69 for stabilizing clip 100 and,optionally, for engaging an edge of a sheet metal structure (not shown).

Swivel element 14 includes two tubular engaging portions 74, 76 withcircular sections which are less than 180°, and which, in the closedposition of clip 100, align with tubular engaging portions 62, 64,respectively, to form 360° tubular engaging sections. Swivel element 14further includes detent hook 78 which engages detent aperture 66 whenclip 100 is in the closed position.

Clip 100 is initially molded in an integral configuration in arelatively open position, with common molding windows formed at theintersection of radially inwardly extending fingers 38, 40, 42, 44 andaxle ends 26, 28 of swivel shaft 24 and molding gates forming radiallyinwardly extending fingers 38, 40, 42, 44. The molding in a relativelyopen position allows for the necessary axial clearance between basemember 12 and swivel member 14 for tooling.

To install clip 100, swivel member 14 is rotated with respect basemember 12 thereby breaking the molding gates and leaving radiallyinwardly extending fingers 38, 40, 42, 44 as vestiges. Clip 100 istypically installed by inserting tree fastener section 72 into aperture(not shown) of stationary structure (not shown). Tubular devices (notshown), such as cables, are inserted into tubular engaging swivelportions 62, 64. Swivel element 14 is then swiveled to a closed positionso that tubular engaging portions 74, 76 align with tubular engagingportions 62, 64, respectively, and detent hook 78 engages detentaperture 66 thereby engaging the tubular devices.

Thus the several aforementioned objects and advantages are mosteffectively attained. Although a single preferred embodiment of theinvention has been disclosed and described in detail herein, it shouldbe understood that this invention is in no sense limited thereby and itsscope is to be determined by that of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A clip including:a stationary base member; aswivel member which is initially integral with said relativelystationary base member, said swivel member and said base member beingformed by common molding windows and joined by molding gates formed bysaid common molding windows, said swivel member being subsequentlyrotatable with respect to said relatively stationary base member aftersaid molding gates are broken; a first of said base member and saidswivel member including a swivel shaft and a second of said base memberand said swivel member including at least one aperture in which saidswivel shaft is journaled for rotation, said at least one aperturefurther including radially inwardly extending fingers formed by saidmolding gates, said radially inwardly extending fingers positioning saidswivel shaft.
 2. The clip of claim 1 wherein said base member includesmeans for attaching said base member to a first external object and saidswivel member and said base member include means for engaging a secondexternal object.
 3. The clip of claim 2 wherein said means for engaginga second external object includes a first portion of circular sectionformed on said base member and a second portion of circular sectionformed on said swivel member, said first portion and said second sectionforming a circle for engaging a tubular member.
 4. The swivel clip ofclaim 3 wherein said first portion of circular section encompasses morethan 180°, and wherein said first and second semi-circular elementsencompass a total of 360°.
 5. The clip of claim 4 further wherein saidmeans for engaging a second external object further includes means fordetent engaging said swivel element to said base element.
 6. The clip ofclaim 5 wherein said means for attaching said base member to a firstexternal object includes a post element with detent wings for engagingan external aperture.
 7. The clip of claim 6 wherein said base elementand said swivel element include opposing ramp elements to provide foraxial clearance between said base element and said swivel element in arelatively open position and to reduce axial clearance between said baseelement and said swivel element in a relative closed position.